Lifting grab



G. W. BUTTS Jan. 31, 1933.`

LIFT'ING GRAB A Filed Aug. 12, 1952 2 sheets-sheet n/ Rim s. m W m. m VW 0 m n e A u. l Maxi@ 1m31, 1933. Gp W. BUTTS 1,895,649

LIFTING GRAB Filed Aug. l2, 1932 2 Sheets-Shea 2 FIG 11X ,//Q z f/ 15 17 V 210 O Z0 11 O O O 11 2' TIF z f6 /fl f im O/ZV/i' l/ WITNESS sl Z INVENTOR.- @EMM gag@ 1%( mis,

BY l. Wa. mi,

TTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 31, 1933 UNITED ks'lA'lv-iggs GEORGE W.

t .was

PM;*enr .florence BUTTS, or wizivivnwoon,V PEnnsvLvANra `Assreivoist To PENNSYLVAIN*A.k 'RAILROAD COMPANY, A CORPORATION or TENNSYLVANTA LIFTING GRAB aplicacion mea August" 12, 1,932.; kserial No. '628330.

My invention relates generallyjto lifting devices, and more particularly to lifting grabs useful for thehoisting and shifting of containers, or of stacked articles,'such as brick, tile or the like, and characterized by or to ride on the lifting sling,-a dangerous,v

time-consuming operation.

Accordingly, the principal object of thisinvention is to provide a lifting grab whichl is mechanically operable to engage or'release the load, and manually controlled by an'foperator standing on the ground. 'I

Another object of this invention is to pro`I vide in such a lifting grab, gravity actuated mechanism for vclosing the load engaging jaws and spring-actuated mechanism for spreadinurr the jaws whereby no additional source of power isnecessary for ,these operations. 1 Other objectsand advantages of theinven tion will be apparent from the description whichy follows hereinafter and which has reference to the accompanying drawings,in

which there is illustrated one form or embodiment which the invention may take. Of the drawings: Fig. I represents a planview lof la lifting grab of my invention. Y Y

Fig. II representsa front elevation of the saine, showing its application to a load. j

Fig. III represents a side elevation of, the same; and, f

Fig. IV represents a section taken as indicated by the lines IV-IV of Fig. I, showing the control mechanism'.

In the drawings there is shown a lifting rab adapted to be applied to rectangular objects such as containers or stacks Vof bricks. The rectangular fra-me comprehensively des-u ignated 1v comprises longitudinal channel beams 2 joined together by transverse/chanmonv' helical "type," though 'obviously other nel beams 3 which Vare riveted toconnectingpieces, which in turnv are rivetedto the lon-4A gitudinal channel beams 2. The longitudinal channel'beams 2 are -arrangedback tojjback in pairs, and-fixed jaws 5 and movable aws 6 are vmounted.betweenl the members. consti'- tutingfa pair. Theixed jaws aresecu'red inA placeA by means of bolts 7. Additional' holes,` 8 are provided-in the'llongitudinal" j channel-beams2 to allow adjustment of the 69' iiXedvjaw's 5 toy adapt the yapparatus to the handling of loads of different size. :The: movable jaws 6 are mounted between longi-kr tudinal channel beams 2 von acommon shaft 9 supportedv in bearingsvlO. 'I' Certain of the transverse channel beamsy 3 serve as a lframework [for supporting the,

operating mechanism?hereinafter,y described: i rDrive shafts 11 are mounted lin bearings 12 my j which `are supp'ortedjon the transversechanJi nel beams 3. The bearings 12 a're preferably 1 ofl the usual vtype with a removable top'pforr j vj Plates 13 inspection, repair and cleaning. arefbolted tothechannel :beams -3 adjacent to the bearings V12 toadd strengthv tothe 75' f.

structureik The drive shafts 11 "have thereon4` wormgears lt'which e'ngzu'gfe. gearl teeth 15 on said shaft 9.v A drum16 is'mount'ed on 'each-drivesha-ft'l1l at the opposite `end from its said worm gear 12. S-prin'gs "17 mounted 8 j in vcasings-30 on the frame 1 serve to urge the drive shafts 11 to Yrevolve in la direction that will maintain 'thernovable jaws 6 in an open position. These springs 17, in the present exampleof my invention, are lof a 'comsamefunctlon. 1

Also mounted on these drive shafts v11.tol g turn simultaneously'therewith are ratchet mi wheels 18, by .means of'which` the operation types of springs may beused to perform the; y

`of thejaws 5 and 6 is controlled. These ratchet wheels/178 are fitted with "pawls 19 and 2O urged into vengagement with the ratch` et wheels 18 'by ksprings, 2L The pawls `19 951V preventfthe ratchetA wheels 18V from turning in one direction, while the vpawls 20prevent f kthemfrom turning in 'the' other direction.

The pawls 19'are disengaged from theratchet wheels links 22. Additional links lm" eration' of both pawls when the trip cord 524cis pulled. The other pawls are disengaged 5. from the' ratchet wheels 18 by pivot/ed links 25. The links are soiormed that they' may'be operated'by an additional trip cord 26 v'invention"may take, and haver described a particular arrangementof parts, it will be apparent that variousy changes may bemade' Fastened to the drums`16 and vwiniiling '-10 aroundfthem aresuspe'nsionv cables vwhich/V lead to a spreader'28. 'The spreader28 is.V adapted to be suspended from overhead hoist- .ingapparatus by a cable fastened to the eye 29. The:forceof gravity .acting :on they ap- 15 paratus transmitted through the suspension cables 27, kthe drums 16, lthe 'drive shaft 11,

and'thefwo'rm gear lieto, the shaft 9 turf springsglfare-'of suiicientstrength'to urge 12U`theja-ws6fopen when no load iscarried,

and the,V cables 27 are so wound onthe drums j 16 thatfthe turnsaround the ldrums 1 6 are,V not, exhausted before the jaws Gare urged to.v Vcomplete closure. .The springs lZf may be 25'adjusted to the proper tension by turning fthe; casings 30. llTo aid inthe vgrasping of the load, a long channel piece 31 is bolted to p' .the tips of each of the xed jaws 5' anda simi- Y l. lar piece`31 is bolted to the movablel jaws 6.

3 0`fl`hese channel'pieces 31 are lined with compressible 'material 32', preferably rubber, to

' facilitate the grasping of the 10aa and to' insure a rm' grip'thereona- With the foregoing'description inmind;V

'thefoperation of the abovedescribedliftingV grap .isas follows. vvAssuming the jaws,v 5

fand 6to ybe inthe spread position, as shown in dot-and-dash lines in Fig. II, and theload tobe upon Vtheground read-y to be lifted,

4'0'f th e apparatus'is lowered over the loadwithl the jaws 5and 6st-raddling the loadfAs both. pawls 19 and 20jare held in engagement,With` theV ratchet wheels- 18,ffthe jaws are-locked inthe bpenjposition at this 'stage. V After; 4'5" the4 awsV are carefully' positioned with i the' load, the control line 26 is pulledby hand, releasing. pawls 20k and allowingrotationof the drive shafts 11 in the' direction vindicated by arrow B, urging the movable jaws 6 to Y"y aclosed position. This closure is Veffected through'the forceof gravity acting onthe liftingvapparatus as explained above. :When the jaws 5 andv 6 have lirmly `grasped(the load, -'the control line 26`isreleasehallowing Vy thel pawls `to engage again the ratchetwheels y18 under thepressure Vof the springs-21.y The 'apparatus and *loady is then lifted and de.-

Y posited as desired. The spreader28 isfurtherY lowered to kcause slack` in :the suspene sion 'cables 27. .Theily the control l'inej2 is pulled by the ;operator,V ydisengaging; therV .i pawls 1 9-from ratchet Wheels 18,'andallow.-

` -ingthe ratchet'wheels. 18 .and drivef'shat'ts,

11;@to rotatelunder the'forceof thespring l 165` mechanisms 17 in ,thedirection indicated 'byJ objects in its operation. l Y q, 'l v While have `shown oneform which the in the form oi"theapparatuswithout departing `from the spirit of my invention as deiined yin the claims hereto annexed.

Having thus described'v my inventioml clai'm: 'i

f 1.V In a lifting device ofthe' character described, a Vframe, gripping jaws mounted onsaid frame, one such jaw being pivotallymounted 'or'movemerit v toward -Y and, away` Y from theotherjaw, gravity actuated mecha nism operable to closesaid inovajblerjaws inl cidentto suspension of the frame, spring ae! tuated mechanismwfor lopening s aidmovable jaws, and means lfor controlling theoperation of said gravity actuatedand 'said' spring actuated mechanisms; Y'

v 2. In a lifting ,deviceof thevcharacter-de-jh scribed, a frame, gripping jawsmounted Yon said trame, one such jaw being,pivotallly` mounted ytor movement toward andaway from the'other jaw, a shazttrotatabie on said frame, saidv shaft 'being geared to said 'piv- 7 otedj aw, adrum on said shaft, and' avsuspen-j sioncablegfor said frame attached'to said ".J A. 3 19t) 3. In alifting device ofzthefcharacterder;

scribed, a frame, gripping jaws jmounted on 4said-frame, Vone suchjawjbeing pivotally .mounted@forfmovementl Ltoward and away. from theother j aw, a shaftirotatableon said frame, saidshaft being geared to saidpivot-' ed j aw and normally spring furg'edfto main- 1 tain saidjaws in spread position, a 4drum-on said shaft, and a suspension .cable forsaid frame attached tosaidfdrumfwhereby said; j jaws aregdrawntogether incident to t he rais v ingjofv a load.

In alifting vdevice ott-he Icharacter de-v I scribed, 'a frame,A gripping jaws mounted'r on said frame, one such j aw- `being p ivotally mountedv for movement toward.y and v. away from the other jaw, drive shafts vmounted on saidframe andfgeared'to said .movable jaws,"

lil 5 springs for `turning said shafts in. one dir ec-v tion, drums mounted on saidl v'shafts for turng ing them in the other direction, suspensionl cables lfastened to and Wound/around said drums so that the 'weight of vthe liftingl clevice causes `rsaid drums Ato.l turn, and means for Ilocking, and unlocking saidy drums on said frame. f

i' 5' 'In dal lfting'device Of the character dei l scribe@ fa *dimmen-spaced v movable Vjawsmounted on Asaid trame, Xed lj aws, mounted I' on .said-.frameq-to cooperate with @Said .mov-Y able jaws, drive shafts geared to said mov.-

able jaws, said shafts being normally spring urged to maintain said 'aws in spread position, drums on said sha ts, suspension cables attached tosaid drums whereby said jaws are drawn together incident to the suspension of` the frame, ratchet wheels mounted on said shafts, one set of pawls engaging said ratchet wheels to prevent rotation in one direction, another set of pawls engaging said ratchet wheels to prevent rotation in the opposite direction, and a tripping mechanism including controlv lines for disengaging said pawls to allow said shafts to rotate in one or the other direction.

6. In a lifting device of the character de-,Iv

scribed, a frame, spaced movable jaws mounted on said frame, liXed jaws mounted on said frame to cooperate with said movable j aws,

drive shafts geared to said movable aws', said shafts being normally spring urged to maintain said jawsfin spread position,` drums on said shafts, suspension cablesattached to v said drumswhereby said jaws are vdrawn together incident to the suspension of the frame,

ratchet wheels mounted on said shafts, one

set of pawls engaging said ratchet wheels to prevent rotation in one direction and another set of pawls engaging said ratchet wheels to prevent rotation in the opposite direction, springs normally maintaining said ',pawls 1n engagement with'` said ratchet.

wheels, and a tripping mechanism including control lines for disengaging said pawls toy allow said shafts to rotate in one or the other direction.

In testimony whereof, I have hereuntov signed my name at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this 10th day of Aug., 1932.

, GEORGE w. BUTTS.. 

